Al Ahly and Esperance de Tunis to battle it out in CAF Champions League final

The pair already have 10 continental titles between them

Winners will qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018

Egypt’s Al Ahly and Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis are on the cusp of glory, as they prepare to go head-to-head to see who will win the CAF Champions League and represent Africa at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018. All eyes will be on the Borg El Arab Stadium on Friday 2 November and the Stade Olympique de Rades on Friday 9 November to see who emerges victorious.

Back for moreThe Cairo giants will be hoping to pen a bright, new chapter in their already-storied history with victory this year. After finishing runners-up in 2017, falling at the final hurdle for a second consecutive year would be devastating for Al Ahly fans, who regard their side as perennial favourites for this competition because of their eight previous titles.

During this campaign, Al Ahly endured a shaky start in the group stage before hitting their stride. Concerns of an early exit were soon forgotten, as the Red Devils’ strike force came to the fore in the latter part of the competition to power the team to the final. Under the stewardship of French coach Patrice Carteron, the club has assembled a squad that is both pragmatic and consistent, while still being effective in attack and tactically disciplined. One player on whom the team will be relying heavily is Walid Soleman, who not only offers pace and incision with his playmaking skills, but also weighs in with his share of goals.

Rades puzzleFor Esperance, the thought of losing again to their opponents at their own Stade Olympique is almost inconceivable. Defeats to Al Ahly in the home legs of the 2012 final and the 2017 quarter-final, and again in the group stage this year, is something that has long confounded the Tunisian heavyweights and their fans, and which must surely be resolved, if they are to claim the title this time around.

Yet, before they get a chance to put that right, the side from Tunis will need an exemplary performance in the first leg – something they have managed on recent trips to Egypt. They know that a clean sheet there, perhaps with a goal scored, would go a long way towards securing them the title. However, thus far in the current edition, Esperance have won just twice away from home, drawing on four other occasions. Mouine Chaabani’s players will be keen to avoid a repeat of what happened in their semi-final against Primeiro de Agosto. Having lost the first game in Angola, they went further behind at the start of the return fixture and had to produce a miraculous comeback to reach the final.